A MOTHER whose five-year-old son was killed by a hit-and-run driver has backed a school's campaign to name and shame parents who park illegally near the spot where he was mown down.

Jackie Thompson, whose son Sam Walker was run over just yards from the school gates, says the drastic measures proposed by Chorlton Park Primary could be the only way to stop parents putting their own children in danger.

She said: "If it's going to stop them doing what they're doing then this campaign needs to be backed by everyone. If they named and shamed them they might think twice about doing it."

Over the past few weeks teachers have been pleading with parents to park further down the road so as not to clog up the carriageways surrounding the school.

However, despite the involvement of police and traffic wardens and a poster campaign urging motorists to 'park elsewhere', parents are continuing to flout the restrictions. Not only that, teachers claim some parents cannot even be bothered to get out of their cars and walk the few metres to pick their children up from the school gates.

Chris Burgess, deputy head at Chorlton Park, said: "We might have to name names. We have threatened this before but our pleas have been ignored.

"Parents don't seem to realise they're putting their own children in danger. We'll have to make sure that in assemblies they are made aware we know which parents are doing this."

Ms Burgess highlighted the school's traffic problems in the Reporter three weeks ago but parents continued to park directly outside the school.

She said: "We've done an awful lot to stop this but it's still happening and we're starting to despair.

"They could park further down or even round the corner but it seems they just won't walk through the school gates.

"We've told them they've got to show their face or we won't let the children off the school premises for their own safety, but they still wait in their cars. Either that or they send an even younger child to meet their brother or sister at the gates."

Ms Burgess added: "It's just not safe these days to let primary-school children leave school on their own. What if the wrong sort of person was loitering around wanting to pick up a child?"

Three weeks ago police and road safety officers conducted a traffic sweep outside the school in a bid to make motorists aware of the dangers being posed to children.

Some were warned to watch their speed but others were booked for parking illegally outside the school.

The traffic survey took place near the spot where Sam, a former Chorlton Park pupil, was killed as he crossed a busy road.

Ms Burgess added: "We went through a very traumatic experience with poor Sam and we don't want to go through that again. The parents don't think it will happen to their children, but I'm afraid it will if they don't stop what they're doing."